https://www.scmp.com/rss/91/feed All the latest breaking news from Hong Kong, China and around the world en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Regina Ip Regina Ip For the first time in its history – and in a striking departure from its long-standing doctrine of minimal economic intervention – Hong Kong is preparing to draw up a five-year plan. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has asked all policy bureaus to help draft proposals by the end of the year. To lead the exercise, veteran civil servant Janice Tse Siu-wah has come out of retirement. The Legislative Council, not to be left out, has formed a committee supported by six coordinating groups spanning... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3350403/how-markets-will-test-hong-kongs-new-economic-model?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3350403/how-markets-will-test-hong-kongs-new-economic-model?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow China’s artificial intelligence model companies are unlikely to “eat up” the domestic software market because they lack the deep industry know-how and experience to meet enterprise needs, according to an HSBC analyst. Unlike the US, China’s less developed software-as-a-service (SaaS) market stands to gain even as AI models continue to improve, with the most likely outcome being a collaborative approach where model companies and legacy software firms serve enterprises in tandem, said Yiran Liu,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3350586/ai-not-eating-chinas-software-market-turbocharging-it-hsbc-analyst?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3350586/ai-not-eating-chinas-software-market-turbocharging-it-hsbc-analyst?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 01:00:19 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li The debut exhibition of the US’ Metropolitan Museum of Art in Hong Kong has underscored the importance of people-to-people ties and trust between countries through cultural exchanges during times of uncertainty, organisers have said. About 200 pieces of jewellery from 4,000 years of history across five continents are on display at the Hong Kong Palace Museum for six months, with the event coming at a politically sensitive time. US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are set to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350576/new-york-met-exhibit-hong-kong-underscores-importance-cultural-exchanges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350576/new-york-met-exhibit-hong-kong-underscores-importance-cultural-exchanges?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 01:00:16 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A dedicated five-year-old Chinese girl is making a big impression online with her skilful and powerful martial arts performances. Huang Zijun from Maoming, in southern China’s Guangdong province, has marvelled countless netizens with videos of her performing Hung Kuen, a representative martial art in southern China. It is famous for its low and stable positions, powerful strikes with the arms and flexible hand skills. Many of its classic postures are named after animals, such as the tiger, snake... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3350163/china-martial-arts-prodigy-5-often-practises-point-tears-ready-may-tournament?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3350163/china-martial-arts-prodigy-5-often-practises-point-tears-ready-may-tournament?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 01:00:11 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Singapore has earned top marks for digital resilience in the Asia-Pacific, but a new study reveals a disconnect at the heart of its corporate world: its executives ranked 10th out of 11 for leadership on the issue. The findings, published on Wednesday by Economist Impact and Australian telecoms company Telstra International, drew on responses from 1,420 senior executives across 11 Asia-Pacific markets, including Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong and Thailand. Singapore ranked first overall –... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3350489/singapore-ranks-no-1-cyber-defences-boardrooms-are-weak-link?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3350489/singapore-ranks-no-1-cyber-defences-boardrooms-are-weak-link?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 00:00:17 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Construction of a US$1 billion Chinese-invested hydropower station has begun in Cambodia to facilitate the Southeast Asian country’s use of renewable energy as the fallout from the Iran war constricts developing countries’ access to traditional fuel supplies. Work on the Upper Tatay pumped-storage hydropower project in the hilly southwestern province of Koh Kong started on April 10, Xinhua reported, describing it as a future “green power bank” for Cambodia’s national grid. It said the project... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350480/china-begins-building-us1-billion-hydropower-station-cambodia-amid-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350480/china-begins-building-us1-billion-hydropower-station-cambodia-amid-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Former US president Barack Obama met New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani for the first time on Saturday at a child care centre where they read to preschoolers and led a singalong. The meeting comes as Mamdani, a democratic socialist who marked his 100th day in office just over a week ago, is also trying to build a working relationship with Republican US President Donald Trump. Obama and Mamdani did not take questions after reading the book Alone and Together to the children and leading a singalong of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350602/obama-meets-new-york-mayor-zohran-mamdani-reading-preschoolers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350602/obama-meets-new-york-mayor-zohran-mamdani-reading-preschoolers?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 23:16:10 +0000 Ryan Ip,Jason Leung Yeuk-ho,Wenhui Jia Ryan Ip,Jason Leung Yeuk-ho,Wenhui Jia For a Chinese enterprise venturing overseas, the first decision is often not which market to enter, but which city to launch from. And that choice increasingly narrows to Hong Kong or Singapore. Both offer deep capital markets, common law systems and Chinese-speaking talent. Both want to be the trusted first stop. But a gap has emerged – not in what the two cities offer on paper, but in how they treat the enterprises they both want. What does a “launch pad” deliver? It is where a Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3350196/how-hong-kong-can-beat-singapore-launch-pad-chinese-firms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3350196/how-hong-kong-can-beat-singapore-launch-pad-chinese-firms?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Venezuela’s opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said on Saturday she had “no regrets” about symbolically handing over her Nobel Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump in January. “There is a leader in the world, a head of state in the world who risked the lives of his country’s citizens for Venezuela’s freedom,” she told a news conference in Madrid. Machado presented her Nobel Prize to Trump when she met him in the White House just two weeks after he ordered US forces to attack Caracas and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3350601/venezuelas-machado-says-no-regrets-about-giving-her-nobel-prize-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3350601/venezuelas-machado-says-no-regrets-about-giving-her-nobel-prize-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 20:10:19 +0000 Reuters Reuters A Canadian man accused of helping 14 ⁠people in the province ⁠of Ontario kill themselves by selling a ⁠legal but deadly substance online will avoid a murder trial by pleading guilty to lesser charges, his lawyer said on Saturday. Kenneth Law, 60, will plead guilty to counselling or aiding suicide under a deal with Crown prosecutors that will see more serious ‌first-degree murder charges withdrawn, Matthew Gourlay of Henein Hutchison Robitaille said in an email. Law’s case is scheduled to return... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350600/canadian-man-kenneth-law-plead-guilty-suicide-kit-case-avoid-murder-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350600/canadian-man-kenneth-law-plead-guilty-suicide-kit-case-avoid-murder-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 18:22:52 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A gunman who killed at least six people in the streets of Kyiv on Saturday before taking hostages and barricading himself in a nearby supermarket has been shot dead by police, Ukrainian officials said. The head of Ukraine’s Interior Ministry, Ihor Klymenko, said in a statement on social media that special tactical police units stormed the store after attempts to contact the gunman with a negotiator failed. The attacker was killed while resisting arrest, he said. Speaking to reporters at the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350599/kyiv-gunman-kills-5-and-takes-hostages-being-shot-dead-ukraine-police?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350599/kyiv-gunman-kills-5-and-takes-hostages-being-shot-dead-ukraine-police?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 16:30:59 +0000 Reuters Reuters Mexican ⁠President Claudia Sheinbaum and Spain’s Pedro Sanchez ⁠met in Barcelona on Saturday after a summit of progressive leaders, signalling a rapprochement during the first presidential visit to the Mediterranean country in eight years. The meeting took place during Sheinbaum’s visit to Barcelona to attend the fourth “In defence of democracy” summit, a gathering ‌of global leftist leaders to mobilise advocates of these movements against the far-right. Sheinbaum’s trip marks a softening of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3350597/mexico-mends-ties-spain-first-presidential-visit-8-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3350597/mexico-mends-ties-spain-first-presidential-visit-8-years?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 15:30:23 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Fourteen people were injured after a minibus crashed into a heavy goods vehicle, Hong Kong police said on Saturday. The driver reported to police at about 9.30pm that the minibus had hit a heavy goods vehicle in Tsing Yi and that some passengers had been injured. The crash happened near Ching Chung House at Cheung Ching Estate. Emergency services found 14 people injured on the minibus. Two of them, who sustained minor injuries, subsequently left the scene. The remaining four men and eight women... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350595/14-hurt-after-minibus-slams-back-goods-vehicle-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350595/14-hurt-after-minibus-slams-back-goods-vehicle-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 15:10:04 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham In June 2021, from a podium in the Cornish countryside, former US president Joe Biden told a relieved Europe that “America is back at the table”. The comment – made after a summit of the Group of Seven rich nations – became a galvanising force for reinvigorated transatlanticism after the first term of Donald Trump had left it in tatters. When Russia invaded Ukraine eight months later, the G7 became the forum of choice for cooking up punitive sanctions against Russia. It was also the venue for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350572/rupture-how-europe-fell-out-love-america?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350572/rupture-how-europe-fell-out-love-america?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 15:00:10 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US President Donald Trump on Saturday directed his administration to speed up reviews of certain psychedelic drugs, including ibogaine, which recently has been embraced by combat veterans and conservative lawmakers despite having serious safety risks. Ibogaine is banned under the federal government’s most restrictive category for illegal, high-risk drugs. But the administration is taking steps to ease access to psychedelics that Trump said were already designated as potential breakthroughs by... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350593/trump-signs-order-speed-review-psychedelics-including-controversial-drug-ibogaine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350593/trump-signs-order-speed-review-psychedelics-including-controversial-drug-ibogaine?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 14:41:05 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing Hong Kong’s competition watchdog is closely monitoring a potential megadeal between the city’s two largest supermarket chains amid a continued decline in grocery sales since 2020. The Competition Commission told the South China Morning Post that it was aware of media reports about the potential merger. “The commission is aware of the relevant media reports and is paying close attention to the matter and any future developments,” it said. Conglomerates Jardine Matheson and CK Hutchison Holdings,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350589/hong-kong-watchdog-monitoring-potential-merger-citys-top-2-supermarket-chains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350589/hong-kong-watchdog-monitoring-potential-merger-citys-top-2-supermarket-chains?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 14:02:30 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen The shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz only hours after its reopening is a tactic by Iran to gain leverage over the United States before possible negotiations, according to Chinese analysts. With the clock counting down to the end of a two-week ceasefire with the US on Wednesday, a deal with Washington was still possible and the likelihood of Tehran imposing a toll on the waterway was low, they added. The assessment came as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Saturday that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350588/closed-open-closed-why-iran-changing-course-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350588/closed-open-closed-why-iran-changing-course-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 14:00:13 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen The “drone-killing” success of Iran’s 358 loitering munition, especially against expensive US-made platforms, is attracting attention well beyond the battlefield in the Middle East. In China, state media has taken a look at the Iranian-designed counter-drone loitering interceptor’s reported role in bringing down multiple uncrewed aerial vehicles, or drones, like the MQ-9 “Reaper” in the US-Israel war on Iran. The 358 missile, also known as the SA-67, weighs about 50kg (110lbs). Powered by a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350564/lesson-china-irans-low-cost-358-missile-takes-out-million-dollar-us-assets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350564/lesson-china-irans-low-cost-358-missile-takes-out-million-dollar-us-assets?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 13:30:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse UK counterterror officers are investigating an arson attack on a shop in an area of London with a large Jewish population, police said on Saturday, following similar incidents in recent weeks. No one was injured in the fire on late Friday in Hendon, in the northwest of Britain’s capital, London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement, without specifying the business targeted. It comes after police arrested two people over a separate arson attack on a synagogue in nearby Finchley, on Wednesday,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350585/uks-counterterror-police-probe-another-london-arson-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350585/uks-counterterror-police-probe-another-london-arson-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 12:47:18 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung A Hong Kong woman has lost nearly HK$4.9 million (US$625,800) in three months after being cheated by bogus “investment experts” in an online scam. The victim was lured into contacting the scammers after seeing a post on social media advertising high-return stock investments, police said. She was then instructed to download an app via an online messaging service. Believing the scheme to be genuine, the victim transferred about HK$4.86 million in more than 40 transactions between January and April... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3350584/hong-kong-woman-loses-hk49-million-bogus-online-investment-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3350584/hong-kong-woman-loses-hk49-million-bogus-online-investment-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 12:13:27 +0000 Fox Yi Hu Fox Yi Hu In Canada, fans and foes of Chinese electric vehicles are holding their breath for brands like BYD to hit the market. Whether they love them or not, they share the hope that Chinese carmakers will help to bring all EV prices down, as affordability becomes a growing concern for consumers. Companies including BYD, Geely, Nio and Xpeng are preparing to roll out sales locations in Canada, seizing the opportunity of warmer ties between the two countries. Ottawa struck a milestone trade deal with... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350483/china-trade-deal-has-canadians-looking-forward-cheaper-electric-vehicles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350483/china-trade-deal-has-canadians-looking-forward-cheaper-electric-vehicles?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Hong Kong rugby has reached a “pinnacle” as the city celebrates the 50th anniversary of its annual Sevens tournament, the man who coached the local team at the first edition of the event in 1976 has said. Peter Duncan, who stepped down as president of Hong Kong China Rugby in March after a decade in the post, described the annual three-day tournament as an “iconic” sporting event that helped to cement the city’s status in the international community. “If you were sitting in the stadium in 1976... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350582/hong-kong-sevens-pinnacle-50th-anniversary-pioneering-coach-peter-duncan-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350582/hong-kong-sevens-pinnacle-50th-anniversary-pioneering-coach-peter-duncan-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 11:57:44 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong Cantopop singer Keung To has urged the public to learn from his mistakes after he was fined HK$2,200 (US$280) for careless driving, running a red light and failing to display a probationary sign on his car while driving. Keung, a member of the popular boy band Mirror, also said on Saturday that the “P” sign might have fallen off and he was not aware of it until police told him. The 26-year-old singer, who reportedly obtained his probationary driving licence in February last year, was... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3350580/hong-kongs-mirror-star-keung-urges-public-learn-his-driving-mistakes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3350580/hong-kongs-mirror-star-keung-urges-public-learn-his-driving-mistakes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 11:12:27 +0000 Jess Ma,Emily Hung Jess Ma,Emily Hung For 66-year-old Ming Lee, the only way to get back to his flat in Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court is by walking up 25 flights of stairs, after the deadly inferno at the housing estate last November destroyed seven of its eight buildings, including their lift systems. Undaunted by the physical toll required, the retiree will ascend Wang Yan House next week and bid a final farewell to his home of four decades. “I exercise regularly, but after the fire, my mood and physical condition both deteriorated,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350579/wang-fuk-court-residents-steel-themselves-emotional-return-site-deadly-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350579/wang-fuk-court-residents-steel-themselves-emotional-return-site-deadly-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 11:00:21 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen China could gain a “massive strategic advantage” from the war in Iran by reshaping trade in the Middle East and catching up with the US militarily, according to one analyst. Zhu Zhaoyi, executive director of the Institute of Middle East Studies at Peking University HSBC Business School, also said that with the current ceasefire looking likely to be extended, Beijing should assume a more active role in peace talks. He told a seminar in Shenzhen on Friday that China should draw on the lessons from... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350567/how-chinas-military-could-learn-vital-lessons-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350567/how-chinas-military-could-learn-vital-lessons-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 11:00:09 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japan and Australia said on Saturday they have finalised contracts to jointly deliver the first three of 11 ships for the Australian navy based on the upgraded Japanese Mogami-class frigate, as the two countries deepen their defence cooperation amid China’s growing assertiveness. The deal, announced by Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his Australian counterpart Richard Marles in Melbourne, comes ahead of Japan’s planned easing of its rules on defence equipment exports, which place... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350577/japan-australia-finalise-contracts-deliver-first-3-planned-frigates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350577/japan-australia-finalise-contracts-deliver-first-3-planned-frigates?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 10:08:57 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen The People’s Liberation Army could use minelaying drones to blockade Japan and other waters in the strategic first island chain during a conflict over Taiwan, a mainland Chinese military magazine has suggested. The PLA’s strategy would see AJX002 drones used for “offensive minelaying” missions targeting Japan’s islands, including the Ryukyu archipelago, as well as the waters of the Philippines, according to an analysis in the latest edition of Shipborne Weapons. It comes as America’s blockade of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350562/could-pla-use-minelaying-drones-first-island-chain-blockade-over-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350562/could-pla-use-minelaying-drones-first-island-chain-blockade-over-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 10:00:14 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang An 81-year-old Chinese woman dubbed “the strongest Chinese mother” was born without limbs and managed to raise three children. The octogenarian who has moved many people online sewed with her mouth and used her elbows to hold chopsticks while looking after her family. Wang Yushi, 81, from Baiyin in Gansu province, northern China, was born with a congenital disability and has had no limbs since birth. She did not even have an official name until her late 20s. “My mother was born without hands or... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3350022/china-limbless-mum-sews-mouth-uses-limb-stumps-daily-tasks-raises-3-kids-alone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3350022/china-limbless-mum-sews-mouth-uses-limb-stumps-daily-tasks-raises-3-kids-alone?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 10:00:09 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong’s second-biggest public housing provider will gradually expand the supply of its subsidised sale flats, aiming for them to account for 40 per cent of its home supply in future projects. Hong Kong Housing Society chairman Ling Kar-kan said on Saturday the move was to meet residents’ strong desire to own their homes. In a television interview, Ling maintained the change had nothing to do with the agency’s financial soundness, although he agreed putting more flats on sale could help... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350574/hong-kong-housing-society-aims-boost-supply-subsidised-sale-flats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350574/hong-kong-housing-society-aims-boost-supply-subsidised-sale-flats?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 09:58:13 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz again, according to Tehran’s Fars News Agency. “Control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state, and this strategic strait is under the strict management and control of Iran’s Armed Forces,” an Iranian spokesman was quoted as saying. It came a day after Iran declared that it would allow non-military vessels to pass through the waterway for the duration of a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. However, the United States had continued to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350571/iran-reimposes-shipping-restrictions-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350571/iran-reimposes-shipping-restrictions-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 09:16:07 +0000 Anthony Rowley Anthony Rowley East Asia’s “economic miracle” in the post-World War II period was predicated upon a number of factors, such as the region’s export-led growth model, but critically it also depended on an assured supply of capital to finance business investment. One source of such finance was bank loans, the supply and direction of which can be officially influenced by various means rather than being chiefly market-determined. Even today, bank loans account for most of the business financing in Japan, the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3350329/why-japans-bond-moves-could-see-shift-east-asias-financing-model?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3350329/why-japans-bond-moves-could-see-shift-east-asias-financing-model?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press When Alina Dotsenko returned to her museum after Ukrainian forces retook the southern city of Kherson from Russian forces in late 2022, she found thousands of artworks had vanished. “I walked in and saw empty storage rooms, empty shelves. My legs gave way, and I just sat down by the wall, like a child,” the Kherson Art Museum director said. Before Russia’s full-scale invasion in early 2022, the museum held more than 14,000 works in a collection “ranging from America to Japan”. As the Russians... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350568/ukraine-works-interpol-find-thousands-cultural-artefacts-looted-russians?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350568/ukraine-works-interpol-find-thousands-cultural-artefacts-looted-russians?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 08:01:08 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu A Hong Kong charity is attempting to fast-track the supply of guide dogs for the blind by breeding a Labrador with a golden retriever for the first time, as only 10 per cent of applicants for canines were ready for immediate pairing. Jasmine Tang Yau-sheung, head of operations with Hong Kong Seeing Eye Dog Services, also told the South China Morning Post that the number of canines still lagged far behind demand, even with the imminent birth of the mixed-breed “goldadors”. This litter of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350565/hong-kong-charity-breeding-labrador-golden-retriever-boost-guide-dog-supply?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350565/hong-kong-charity-breeding-labrador-golden-retriever-boost-guide-dog-supply?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 08:00:18 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is pursuing the first ever revision of her country’s post-World War II pacifist constitution, a step that observers say is likely to be welcomed in Washington and condemned in Beijing. Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) secured a historic two-thirds majority in the National Diet’s lower house in February’s election, passing the threshold needed to pass constitutional amendments without other parties’ support. “An independent constitutional amendment... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350506/peace-out-takaichi-putting-japans-pacifist-constitution-chopping-block?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350506/peace-out-takaichi-putting-japans-pacifist-constitution-chopping-block?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 08:00:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Iranians striving to maintain a semblance of normal life after weeks of US and Israeli bombing and a deadly crackdown on protesters in January remain daunted by the future, as damage from air strikes ⁠and internet cuts take a toll. With talks expected on extending a truce and agreeing an end to the conflict, shops, restaurants and government offices have stayed open. On sunny spring mornings, city parks are busy with picnicking families and young people playing sports, while others gather at... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350563/iranians-fear-pressure-will-100-increase-after-us-israeli-strikes-stop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350563/iranians-fear-pressure-will-100-increase-after-us-israeli-strikes-stop?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 07:05:39 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof On Monday afternoon, amid the heat and chaos of Thailand’s Songkran festival, Gavin Chow was crowned Mr Bear International 2026 – the first Malaysian to win the title at a pageant that has quickly become part of Thailand’s growing queer festival circuit. Back in Chow’s home country, the climate is very different. Malaysia criminalises same-sex intimacy under federal law, LGBTQ gatherings have faced police raids and the 34-year-old activist’s own national qualifier earlier this year struggled to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3350517/bangkok-malaysias-first-mr-bear-winner-finds-spotlight-queer-life-rarely-gets-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3350517/bangkok-malaysias-first-mr-bear-winner-finds-spotlight-queer-life-rarely-gets-home?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 07:00:10 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma The US-Israeli war on Iran has unleashed sharp swings across global energy and financial markets, fuelling demand for safe-haven assets, with Hong Kong emerging as a potential beneficiary across gold, property and capital markets. In the first of a three-part series, we examine Hong Kong’s bid to position itself as Asia’s bullion hub. War in the Middle East has intensified global demand to diversify gold storage, creating a strategic window for Hong Kong to tap its unique status and evolve from... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350511/hong-kong-wants-become-global-gold-vault-does-iran-war-create-opening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350511/hong-kong-wants-become-global-gold-vault-does-iran-war-create-opening?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 06:00:16 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong Chinese scientists have created a diving suit that could help users glide through the sea with ease. In tests, the exoskeleton reduced the diver’s oxygen consumption by nearly 40 per cent. The flexible suit not only provides physical assistance but also syncs precisely with the swimmer’s own rhythm, dramatically boosting underwater agility. In tasks ranging from seabed surveys and pipeline inspections to salvage operations and even covert military missions, divers must constantly change the rate... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350425/chinese-robo-diving-suit-could-help-users-consume-almost-40-less-oxygen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350425/chinese-robo-diving-suit-could-help-users-consume-almost-40-less-oxygen?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 06:00:14 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese noodle restaurant has come under fire for displaying a slogan that appears to condone domestic violence. The restaurant in Xining, northwestern China’s Qinghai province put up a banner which read “beaten wife, kneaded dough”. The slogan refers to an old saying from the Guanzhong plain region, which goes “the more a dough is kneaded the better the noodles taste, the more a wife is beaten the more docile she gets.” The shop was slammed across mainland social media for trying to... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3350015/china-eatery-sparks-outrage-beating-wife-sales-slogan-hinting-domestic-violence-approval?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3350015/china-eatery-sparks-outrage-beating-wife-sales-slogan-hinting-domestic-violence-approval?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 06:00:09 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong authorities will take public opinion into account when deciding whether to trigger a new investigation mechanism to hold senior officials accountable for problems identified, the city’s civil service minister has said. Permanent secretaries of bureaus – who are not covered by the proposed “Heads of Department Accountability System” – would also face scrutiny if they were found to be involved in management failures, Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan said on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350561/public-opinion-factor-governments-decision-investigate-officials-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350561/public-opinion-factor-governments-decision-investigate-officials-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 05:55:59 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Two strong earthquakes jolted Nagano Prefecture in central Japan on Saturday, with the first measuring a preliminary magnitude of 5.0 followed by another registering magnitude 5.1, the country’s weather agency said. The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of aftershocks on a similar scale over the next week or so. No tsunami warnings were issued. The first major quake occurred at 1.20pm in Omachi and registered upper 5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7, according to the agency. At... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350559/magnitude-5-quake-hits-japans-nagano-prefecture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350559/magnitude-5-quake-hits-japans-nagano-prefecture?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 05:14:45 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Lam Ka-sing Matthew Cheng,Lam Ka-sing Hong Kong’s investments in the Middle East will not be derailed by ongoing conflicts, the commerce minister has said, expressing confidence in the region’s economic prospects and urging businesses to take a long-term view. “The geopolitical situation has a temporary impact, but in the long term, we remain hopeful about development in the Middle East,” Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau Ying-wah told a radio programme on Saturday. “We have many strengths in areas such as... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350558/take-long-term-view-hong-kong-minister-says-middle-east-investment-unaffected?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350558/take-long-term-view-hong-kong-minister-says-middle-east-investment-unaffected?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 04:57:01 +0000 Reuters Reuters A US appeals court allowed President Donald ⁠Trump’s administration on ⁠Friday night to continue construction ⁠of a US$400 million ballroom on the site of the White House’s demolished East Wing, setting a June hearing to review a Washington judge’s order halting the project. An order by a three-judge ‌panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit put the lower court’s preliminary injunction on hold for now, giving the panel time to consider the US Justice Department’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350557/us-court-lets-trump-resume-work-us400-million-white-house-ballroom-now?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350557/us-court-lets-trump-resume-work-us400-million-white-house-ballroom-now?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 04:47:34 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The sound of tinkling bells drifts through an alley in central Seoul, an unmistakable sign that a shaman is near – although in this case the mystic is a robot powered by artificial intelligence. Many South Koreans still place great value in shamanic traditions, which purport to divine a person’s future based on the day and time they were born. Practitioners, known as mudang, wear long, colourful robes and perform dances and chants to commune with the gods – sometimes even walking on sharp blades... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350556/south-koreas-ai-shamans-foretell-new-take-old-tradition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350556/south-koreas-ai-shamans-foretell-new-take-old-tradition?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 04:20:27 +0000 Fan Chen,Josephine Ma Fan Chen,Josephine Ma US President Donald Trump said on Friday night he was looking forward to his meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping next month and predicted it would be “special”. Trump posted on social media: “China’s President Xi is very happy that Strait of Hormuz is open and/or rapidly opening; I look forward to meeting Xi. “Our meeting ‌in China will ‌be a special ⁠one and, potentially, Historic. I ⁠look forward to being with President ‌Xi – ‌Much will be accomplished!” Trump was originally... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350555/donald-trump-predicts-meeting-xi-jinping-will-be-special-ahead-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350555/donald-trump-predicts-meeting-xi-jinping-will-be-special-ahead-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 04:06:34 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Some passengers have been unable to use any e-payment options in Hong Kong taxis, with drivers blaming faulty machines or battery problems, but customers view these as excuses because the “cash is king” mentality persists. Experts said many taxi drivers still held a deep-seated fear of having a traceable income record, which could lead to taxation or the loss of eligibility for public housing. Lawmaker Mark Chong Ho-fung told the South China Morning Post that many passengers had complained to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3350532/faulty-devices-low-battery-some-taxi-drivers-cook-excuses-avoid-e-payments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3350532/faulty-devices-low-battery-some-taxi-drivers-cook-excuses-avoid-e-payments?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 04:00:13 +0000 Reuters Reuters Rubber glove makers have raised prices and warned of production cuts as the Iran war chokes supplies of key inputs, raising concerns for the healthcare sector. Glove makers have already hiked the average price of synthetic rubber gloves by around 40 per cent to as high as US$29 for a box ‌of 1,000, according to Oong Chun Sung, an equity research analyst at CIMB Securities. Sustained disruption to supply chains from the conflict could lead to glove shortages by late May, analysts at Malaysia’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350554/hospitals-face-glove-shortage-malaysian-makers-hike-prices-40?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350554/hospitals-face-glove-shortage-malaysian-makers-hike-prices-40?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 03:47:52 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang A quarter featuring multiple eye-popping deals is no longer unusual for China’s pharmaceutical industry – in fact, it may soon be considered a slow season. In recent months, companies including CSPC Pharmaceutical and RemeGen have struck out-licensing agreements worth up to US$18.5 billion and US$5.6 billion respectively, while Haisco Pharmaceutical Group has added two of its own — most recently a deal worth up to US$745 million. Under the terms of the deal, the Beijing-based Haisco granted US... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350421/chinas-biotech-firms-shift-gears-can-ai-floor-accelerator?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3350421/chinas-biotech-firms-shift-gears-can-ai-floor-accelerator?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 03:00:12 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Their backgrounds stand out. And not in a good way. Two bankruptcies and six law enforcement jobs in three years. An allegation of lying in a police report to justify a felony charge against an innocent woman – an incident that led to a US$75,000 settlement and criticism of his integrity. A third job candidate once failed to graduate from a police academy, then lasted only three weeks in his only job as a police officer. Their common bond: all were hired recently by US Immigration and Customs... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350552/red-flag-recruits-how-record-us75-billion-ice-expansion-led-questionable-hiring?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350552/red-flag-recruits-how-record-us75-billion-ice-expansion-led-questionable-hiring?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 02:48:13 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan is hoping further US-Iran talks will ease tensions in the Middle East and help reopen the Strait of Hormuz permanently, but there is also mounting anxiety over what a failure could mean for the country as summer approaches. On Friday, Iran said it would reopen the strait for commercial shipping following a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, while US ⁠President Donald Trump added that a US naval blockade of Iran’s ports would ‌remain until a deal with Tehran was struck. The fear in Japan,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350475/japan-warned-hellish-summer-energy-fears-mount?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350475/japan-warned-hellish-summer-energy-fears-mount?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 02:30:09 +0000